Device for interconnecting lighting fixtures

Abstract

An apparatus for providing lighting for store fronts or advertising signs without areas of dimming comprising a channel member, at least one transition section which overlaps the ends of two adjacent elongated tube lights, two end sections, and lamp receptacles disposed in the transition sections and end sections. The transition sections can alternatively interconnect channel light trays to form a continuous channel member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for providing lighting utilizing a plurality of elongated tube lights each having opposing ends, comprising: (a) a channel having a front end and an opposite rear end;   (b) at least one transition section disposed in the channel;   (c) two end sections, a first end section disposed in the front end of the channel and a second end section disposed in the rear end of the channel; and   (d) means, fixedly attached to the transition section and the two end sections, for detachably mounting and energizing the elongated tube lights, wherein one end of each light is detachably mounted to the transition section in an overlapping relationship with one end of another light detachably mounted to the transition section and the opposed end of each light is detachably mounted to selected one of another transition section or one of the two end sections, wherein the transition section comprises at least two parts that can be placed at a plurality of different separation distances in which separation distance between the first end section and the second end section is varied for each different separation distance between the parts.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for fixedly securing the channel to a stationary member. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover plate that is complementary to and designed to be disposed above the channel, whereby a closed volume is formed defined by the channel and the cover plate. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting and energizing means are lamp receptacles. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each transition section has a pair of lamp receptacles facing along the channel in opposite directions disposed at opposite corners and on opposite sides of the transition section. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each end section has one lamp receptacle which is directed along the channel such that a selected one of the lamp receptacles on the transition section is directed toward a corresponding lamp receptacle mounted to one end section, wherein one light is affixed therebetween. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated tube lights are arranged in an overlapping herringbone configuration. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated tube lights are arranged in an overlapping parallel configuration. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for providing lighting utilizing a plurality of elongated tube lights each having opposing ends, comprising; (a) a channel having a front end and an opposite rear end separated therebetween by a length;   (b) at least one transition section disposed in the channel;   (c) two end sections, a first end section disposed in the front end of the channel and a second end section dispose in the rear end of the channel; and   (d) means, fixedly attached to the transition section and the two end sections, for detachably mounting and energizing the elongated tube lights, wherein one end of each light is detachably mounted to the transition section in an overlapping relationship with one end of another light detachably mounted to the transition section and the opposed end of each light is detachably mounted to selected one of another transition section or one of the two end sections,   wherein the channel is a "U" shaped channel having a bottom having two opposed longitudinal edges and two parallel side panels fixedly attached to the edges of the bottom and upwardly extending therefrom, wherein the "U" shaped channel comprises a plurality of "U" shaped sections each having a length, wherein one transition section is telescopically received by either end of two adjacent "U" shaped sections and fixedly attaches the two "U" shaped sections adjacent to each other.   
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the length of each "U" shaped section is approximately equivalent to the length of one elongated tube light. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus for interconnecting at least two channel light trays, each channel light tray having two opposing ends being separated therebetween by a distance approximately equivalent to a length of an elongated tube, light, comprising: (a) a transition section adjacent one end of each of two channel light trays, the transition section being dimensioned to be complementarily mated with and fixedly attached to the adjacent ends of the two channel light trays, thereby interconnecting the two channel light trays to form a resultant channel; and   (b) means, fixedly attached to the transition section, for detachably mounting and energizing elongated tube lights, wherein one end of each light detachably mounted to the transition section is in an overlapping relationship with one end of another light detachably mounted to the transition section.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for fixedly securing the resultant channel to a stationary member. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a cover plate that is complementary to and designed to be disposed above each channel light tray, whereby a closed volume is formed defined by the channel light tray and the cover plate. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mounting and energizing means are lamp receptacles. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transition section has a pair of lamp receptacles facing along the channel light trays in opposite directions disposed at opposite corners and on opposite sides of the transition section. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the elongated tube lights are arranged in an overlapping herringbone configuration. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the elongated tube lights are arranged in an overlapping parallel configuration. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transition section comprises at least two parts that can be placed at a plurality of different separation distances. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus for providing lighting utilizing a plurality of elongated tube lights each having opposing ends, comprising: (a) a channel having a front end and an opposite rear end;   (b) at least one transition section disposed in the channel;   (c) two end sections, a first end section disposed in the front end of the channel and a second end section disposed in the rear end of the channel; and   (d) means, fixedly attached to the transition section and the two end sections, for detachably mounting and energizing the elongated tube lights, wherein one end of each light is detachably mounted to the transition section in an overlapping relationship with one end of another light detachably mounted to the transition section and the opposed end of each light is detachably mounted to selected one of another transition section or one end section, wherein the overlapping relationship between the ends of two lights connected to the detachably mounting means of one of the transition sections is varied so that separation distance between the first end section and the second end section is altered.